1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a tube fitting method applicable mainly for cap sealing and labeling operations with respect to containers such as bottles and the like and to an apparatus for carrying out in the method.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Means for fitting a tube on a container or the like have been known in the art. A typical example is disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 49-035752.
Briefly, the prior art includes, as FIG. 4 illustrates, a flat folded continuous tube 1 fitted on and guide along a mandrel 7e. The tube 1 is drawn downward in its unfolded condition to a position below the mandrel 7e by a pair of downward drawing belts 9e, 9e separately provided, and a lower portion of the tube 1 so drawn down is cut by cutting means 13e to a predetermined length. The cut tube 1e is fitted on a packaging container 16 supplied at a position below the mandrel 7e and is subsequently passed through the step of heat shrinking or the like as required before it is used as a cap seal or a label bearing a trade name or other information.
However, with the above described prior art arrangement, it is impossible to employ as cutting means 13a cutter of simple construction as, for example, one having two blades engageable with each other, since the tube 1 is cut to the predetermined length when it is in an unfolded condition after its passage over the mandrel 7e. In order to cut the unfolded tube properly while preventing it from being refolded, it is undesirably necessary to employ cutting means of a complicated construction such as a rotary cutter in which a cutter blade turns around the tube while it is in rotation.
Therefore, the prior art apparatus is considerably complicated with respect to its component for tube cutting. This naturally results in poor efficiency in the manufactured of the apparatus. Further, cutting the tube on its outer periphery as it is drawn in an end open condition entails considerable time required in tube cutting operation, which naturally means poor efficiency in the tube fitting operation.
Another problem is that it is very difficult to cut a thin flexible tube neatly while it is held open. As such, its cut end is unsightly, and naturally the cut portion also looks poor in its finished state.